Archive for January, 2010
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Pete Johnson: Year-Round Farmer and Innovator
Spring is only three weeks away–at least for the savvy Vermonters who’ve already signed up for their Spring Localvore Share from Pete’s Greens’ Good Eats CSA.
Pete Johnson, the Pete in Pete’s Greens, is a rock star among New England organic famers, and his year-round CSA concept is spreading across the country. By growing salad greens in unheated, movable greenhouses on his 230-acre farm in Craftsbury, Johnson has made fresh local produce a cold-season reality here. Johnson is one of “a critical mass of new, innovative farmers” at the heart of “a massive wave of change,” says Dave Rogers, national policy director of NOFA (the Northeast Organic Farmers Association).The Spring Localvore Share begins on February 17 and runs through the first week in June. Good Eats CSA members pick up their weekly share at the farm or at one of 15 convenient pickup locations across northern Vermont. Members can look forward to a
wide variety of roots, potatoes, onions, garlic, cabbage, celeriac, kohlrabi and other storage crops from the PG cellars plus shoots, sprouts and mesclun that are growing outside throughout the colder months. Frozen vegetables that were harvested and frozen at their peak of freshness last summer augment the fresh veggies. Tomatoes, spinach and braising greens, frozen squash puree and pesto are just a few of the sun-kissed delicacies on ice. By May and June, a wider variety of fresh grown crops will be available—pac choi, baby beets, turnips, scallions, Asian greens and many more.In addition to flavor-packed vegetables, share members also
receive a wide variety of localvore staples from more than 30 producers in Vermont and southern Quebec. Offerings can include artisan breads, eggs, cheeses, organic Vermont flours, oats, cornmeal and other local grains, cooking oils, vinegars, sweeteners, miso, tamari and other basics.CSA members may also opt for a meat share, which features meats grown on the farm and meats and fish (yes! fresh trout!) from local producers. All meats are pastured and grass fed where applicable, and all are sustainably and naturally raised. Many products are certified organic.
For more information about the farm or to find a CSA sign-up form, click here.
For more images from Pete’s Greens, check out FarmPlate’s flickr gallery (Pete’s, too!).
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Localvore Dinner Series Comes to Penny Cluse Cafe
Fundraisers at the Vermont Commons School have found a delicious way to help promote sustainable communities through their popular Localvore Dinner Series. Billed as a friend-raising event, each winter/spring dinner includes a four-course meal at a well-known Vermont restaurant with a guest speaker who’s a leader in sustainability.
This coming Wednesday’s dinner will be at Penny Cluse Café in Burlington. Chef/owner Charles Reeves intends to put a typically Penny Cluseian flavor-powerd spin on seasonal, local ingredients. Look for parsley root fries with house-made ketchup, braised Vermont lamb with plenty of garlic, cinnamon-stout ice cream and much more. Saleem H. Ali, associate professor of environmental studies at UVM’s Rubenstein School and author of the new book Treasures of the Earth: Need, Greed and a Sustainable Future (Yale University Press, 2009) will speak.The final two stops on the VCS Localvore express will be at The Kitchen Table Bistro in Richmond on March 11 and American Flatbread at Lareau Farm in Waitsfield on April 6.
More Regional Events
(All events take place in Vermont unless otherwise noted.)
Thursday, January 28
Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier welcomes the owner and brewers from Smuttynose, New Hampshire’s leading craft brewery, who will be tapping a fresh cask of their barrel-aged Imperial Stout. 100% of sales from the cask will be donated to HELP (Haitian Education & Leadership Program).Friday, January 29
‘The End of the Line’, Rupert Murray’s 2009 documentary, presents hard-to-ignore footage and scientific evidence of the state of our oceans, arguing that overfishing will cause a “world without fish” by 2048. 7:30 pm at Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. $5 to $8.
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Quick and Easy Chickpea-Tofu Curry
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
Not all curries take hours to prepare. Keep a jar of prepared curry paste on hand for quick recipes like this one.
One 14-ounce package Vermont Soy firm tofu
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 to 5 tablespoons prepared curry paste, such as Patak’s biryani, garam masala or Vindaloo curry paste
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted, with juices
Juice from half a lemon or lime
Chopped cilantro or scallion greens for garnishPat the block of tofu with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Cut the block into ¾-inch cubes and set aside on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb additional moisture.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and cook the onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Push the onions to one side and add the cubed tofu to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes to firm up the cubes, stirring gently from time to time. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and lemon or lime juice. Let simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
Stir in the cilantro or scallion greens just before serving. Serve with naan (recipe below) or basmati rice.
Serves 3 to 4
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Naan
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
King Arthur Flour’s white whole-wheat flour is perfect here, making lovely golden-colored flatbreads. You can also use half all-purpose and half whole-wheat flour.2½ cups King Arthur white whole-wheat flour, plus more for kneading and rolling
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons plain yogurt or milk
¾ cup warm water
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons melted butterCombine the flour, yeast, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to mix. Add the egg and yogurt or milk and pulse 3 or 4 times.
Combine the water and honey. Turn the processor on and slowly add the honey water until the mixture forms a ball.Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand briefly to form a smooth ball. Put the ball in an oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour.
Put a pizza stone or baking sheet on the lowest rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500ºF.
Roll the dough into a thick rope. Cut the rope into 8 equal pieces. Roll 2 of the pieces into long ovals. Open the oven door and quickly toss each piece onto the stone or baking sheet. Close the door and cook the naan for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip them over and cook until golden brown, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Lightly brush the naan with melted butter and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm and pliable until dinner. Bake the remaining dough balls in the same manner.
Makes 8 flatbreads
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Tonight’s Can-Do Dinner
Fresh-tasting dinners can certainly be prepared from the canned and jarred foods in your pantry. Smart cooks know that an onion or two, a squeeze of citrus juice and a flourish of chopped fresh herbs will brighten even the stodgiest of staple ingredients.
They also know that canned beans are one of the truly great convenience foods because canning doesn’t diminish the beans’ flavor or texture. Plus, beans are one of the best nutrition bargains you’ll find on grocery store shelves. From pinto beans to white beans, chickpeas to black-eyed peas, leguminous beans provide protein, B vitamins, iron and lots of dietary fiber.
This super-quick vegetarian curry gives the cook a few extra minutes to make naan, the Indian flatbread traditionally baked in a tandoor oven. We know one Vermonter who bakes her naan on top of her woodstove. We’ve found in our kitchen that the naan puff and brown to perfection on a pizza stone in a hot oven.
Quick and Easy Chickpea-Tofu Curry
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
Not all curries take hours to prepare. Keep a jar of prepared curry paste on hand for quick recipes like this one.One 14-ounce package Vermont Soy firm tofu
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 to 5 tablespoons prepared curry paste, such as Patak’s biryani, garam masala or Vindaloo curry paste
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted, with juices
Juice from half a lemon or lime
Chopped cilantro or scallion greens for garnish
Pat the block of tofu with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Cut the block into ¾-inch cubes and set aside on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb additional moisture.
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The Power of Food Labels
Listing nutritional information on fast food could affect what parents choose for their children to eat, reports a new study to be published in the February 2010 issue of Pediatrics. The study, “Nutrition Menu Labeling May Lead to Lower-Energy Restaurant Meal Choices for Children,” was conducted at a pediatric practice in Seattle, Washington.
The 99 parents who participated in the study had children aged three to six years old. Participants were given photos of McDonald’s food and asked which menu items they would pick for themselves and their children. Half of the group was given menus labeled with the number of calories in each selection.
Parents who saw the calorie-labeled food items chose a meal for their child with an average of 102 fewer calories than those who saw unlabeled choices.Pooja S.Tandon, MD, lead researcher of the study and graduate fellow in pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle, emphasized, “One hundred calories over time is actually a significant amount in terms of weight gain, given the rates of fast food consumption and childhood obesity in our country.”
Thirty-two percent of American schoolchildren are overweight or obese, and childhood obesity is a growing topic of national concern. Ed Bruske, the blogger behind The Slow Cook, recently published an eye-opening six-part series “Tales from a D.C. School Kitchen,” which chronicled a behind-the-scenes look at exactly how school lunches are prepared at his daughter’s elementary school.
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Simon Pearce Restaurant: Local Eats on the Ottauquechee
This restaurant’s location overlooking the falls of the Ottauquechee River is so picturesque, they could serve TV dinners here and you’d still be smiling. Happily, the food at Simon Pearce Restaurant, housed in a historic mill in Vermont’s Upper Valley, rises up to its remarkable setting. Executive Chef Joshua Duda sees to that.
A Quechee native and NECI grad, Chef Duda has been heading up the acclaimed kitchen at Simon Pearce since 1995. His culinary influences extend well beyond Windsor County however, touching on classic French and Mediterranean cuisines with some Asian accents for good measure. He believes in rustic country-style foods with big bold flavors. His signature horseradish-crusted blue cod or the not-your-mother’s meatloaf made with local venison and pancetta served with a pomegranate-rosemary sauce are mouth-watering testimonies to those beliefs.Chef Duda and his culinary team strive to source as many local ingredients as possible. A quick look at the winter menu shows that a better part of the ingredients come from within a 100-mile radius of the restaurant, including:
- Pork and beef from Northeast Family Farms, a small supplier that connects independent producers with local chefs based in Woburn, MA
- Chicken from Misty Knoll, a family-run farm on the opposite side of the Green Mountains
- Fresh produce from Tim and Janet Taylor at Crossroad Farm in Post Mills, VT
- Dairy products from McNamara Dairy in Plainfield, NH
- Vermont’s own Strafford Organic Creamery ice cream
The restaurant has always been mindful of its carbon footprint. The hydro-powered turbine that generates the electricity for the glass-making operation downstairs at the mill also provides power for the restaurant. All waste products are recycled, even grease from the Fryolator. Chef Duda drives a Mercedes to and from work that runs off leftover canola oil.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Wine-lovers and lovers in general should make note of two special events taking place at the restaurant in February:Thursday, February 4
Wine dinner hosted by Rebecca Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyards in Paso Robles, California. Chef Duda will prepare a five-course meal, with each course paired to a specific wine.Sunday, February 14, Valentine’s Day
Chef Duda will prepare a lovely, romantic three-course menu.Call 802.295.1470 to reserve. Diners may also reserve online.
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Farming for the Future Conference
It’s not too late to register for the PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) 19th Annual “Farming for the Future” Conference to be held February 4 to 6 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, Pennsylvania. One of the most respected and possibly the largest
gathering of sustainable food enthusiasts in the country, this year’s conference examines hot topics in the great sustainable challenge with workshops on Innovations in Organic No-Till, Conservation Payments for Organic Farming, Energy Realities in a Sustaining Food System, The Benefits of Networking, The Lost Art of Unpowered Cold Farming and much, much more.Keynote speakers include Michael Reynolds, a world leader in sustainable housing, and Lisa M. Hamilton, the author of Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness (Counterpoint, 2009).
More Regional Events
(All events take place in Vermont unless otherwise noted.)
Thursday, January 21
Intro to Permaculture: Learn how to boost health and productivity in your own backyard at this workshop given by Burlington Permaculture’s Mark Krawszyk. 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Burlington Public Works Department. $10 donation. Call 802.999.2768 for more info.
Indoor Gardening Workshop: Learn the steps to harvesting pea shoots in your home kitchen in just seven days. 6 to 7 pm, Hunger Mountain Co-op, Montpelier. Call 802.223.8004 x202 to reserve a place.
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Smoked Trout Cakes
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
1 large baking potato, baked
1 egg white, beaten
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
1 scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces smoked trout or smoked mackerel fillets
Melted butter for brushing
Lemon wedges to serveScoop out the baked potato from its skin and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork then stir in the egg white, paprika, scallions, capers, a generous grinding of pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Break the smoked fish into small flakes and add to the mixture. Stir well to blend.
Preheat the broiler. Brush the broiler pan with the remaining olive oil. With oiled hands, shape the fish into 6 patties and set on the prepared pan. Brush the patties with melted butter.
Broil until browned on top, about 6 minutes. Turn carefully and brown the other side. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Serves 6
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Menu for a Snowy Night
Just because it’s January in New England doesn’t mean hardcore localvores are reduced to eating rutabaga soup thickened with Vermont Common Crackers. Nope. Market bins and co-op shelves are brimming with fresh root vegetables, hardy greens, fish, meats and more.
Tonight’s meal features easy fish cakes that are broiled not fried. They’re a good way to keep healthy, affordable fish on your table throughout the year. Maine’s Ducktrap River smoked trout or mackerel work well here. The recipe’s so versatile you can even use frozen fish from a sustainable fishery.
Menu
Smoked Fish Cakes
Celery Rémoulade
Baby Spinach, Roasted Beet and Toasted Nut Salad
Nitty Gritty Cornbread
Bowl of crisp apples or Sautéed Apples with vanilla ice cream
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